After more than 30 years in education and five years as principal at Apalachee High School in Winder, Principal David McGee will be retiring at the end of this month.

McGee’s sudden retirement has put Barrow County Schools administrators in the tight spot of trying to hire a new principal just two weeks into the school year, but system administrators are confident they will fill the position by Sept. 13.

“We have a timeline, and we are moving forward with the search,” said Wanda Creel, superintendent for Barrow County Schools.

McGee finished last school year intending to serve through the 2011-12 school year, but personal health problems and his mother’s failing health made him realize that he may not be able to handle another year as principal.

“Mr. McGee is one of those people who can’t do anything less than 110 percent,” Creel said. “I think when the school year started, he started looking at the schedule for the year and the 60 or 65 hours a week he would need to put into being a principal. And then (he) looked at the other things going on his life right now.

“He had his 30 years in, and he just realized that he might not be able to do the job the way he wanted to and spend the amount of time he needed to with his family.”

McGee thought for a long time before deciding to retire, weighing his need to take care of himself with the sadness of leaving behind teachers and students who depend on him, he said.

“I want to have more time to spend with my family and to take better care of myself,” he said Friday. “I absolutely love the student body at Apalachee High School and that has been the toughest part of this decision, but like my daughter said to me, ‘Daddy, there won’t ever be a group that you don’t love.’ ”

With Barrow County’s transition to a charter school system this year, Apalachee High School’s Governance Team ­­— a group made up of teachers, parents and community members that guides school administration — will help choose the next principal.

McGee told Creel on Monday he was leaving, and by Friday the governance team had held its first meeting to discuss the hiring process.

Administrators have posted the job opening on the district’s website, along with a survey to find out what qualifications parents, teachers, employees and students at Apalachee want to see in their new principal.

Creel hopes to start interviewing candidates for the position by Sept. 6 and the Barrow County Board of Education could vote on the finalists by Sept. 13.

Creel will call in a retired administrator to serve as interim principal between McGee’s departure Aug. 31 and the new principal’s arrival.

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